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. 2009 Sep-Oct;50(5):440-7.
doi: 10.1176/appi.psy.50.5.440.

Cancer-related fatigue and its associations with depression and anxiety: a systematic review

Linda F Brown  1 , Kurt Kroenke
Affiliations

Cancer-related fatigue and its associations with depression and anxiety: a systematic review

Linda F Brown et al. Psychosomatics. 2009 Sep-Oct.

Abstract

Background: Fatigue is an important symptom in cancer and has been shown to be associated with psychological distress.

Objective: This review assesses evidence regarding associations of cancer-related fatigue with depression and anxiety.

Method: Database searches yielded 59 studies reporting correlation coefficients or odds ratios.

Results: The combined sample size was 12,103. Almost all studies showed a correlation of fatigue with depression and with anxiety. However, 31 different instruments were used to assess fatigue, suggesting a lack of consensus on measurement.

Conclusion: This review confirms the association of fatigue with depression and anxiety. Directionality needs to be better delineated in longitudinal studies.

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